Disclaimer: I don't own starocean
what are the odds of my family reading this?
Karin: quite high actually.
why?
Karin: because you told them?
...oh...
Maria felt drained. Yet her body would not let her rest easily. From head to toe, it ached badly. Her eyelids felt heavy and all she wanted to was the rest, but unfortunately for her, her judgement managed to win over her needs. A blast rocked the ship hard, forcing Maria to get up from bed. She found herself in the sick-bay, on a bed. Her shirt was still undone, but she did not bother to button it up. Her breath was still hard and she rather not constrict her breathing.
"Ah, i see that you're awake now."
A voice spoke up from beside her bed. Albel Nox sat on the chair next to Maria's bed, which was located right next to Nel.
"What happened? Who brought me here?"
"Who? Don't ask me, ask that scrawny looking punk who looks nothing like a worm, but a maggot."
Albel said sarcastically.
"You don't really have use bad language for every person around, you know. It pays off being nice. The girls like a nice guy. I bet Nel would like it too."
"Keh, Nel would love me even if i was swearing all day. That's just her attitude, stupid wench. And if i was acting all nice, i would be no less like Fayt."
Albel scoffed.
"Is Fayt any wrong for being nice?"
Maria felt insulted. Not only for the fact that it sounded like an insult to her husband, but also her twin brother, which was a double insult to her.
"Nothing wrong, it's just that that maggot has his way of doing things, and i have mine. If i wanted to act like him, i wouldn't be me, get it?"
"Sure. You know, for once, you actually talk like an intelligent individual."
"And what was that suppose to mean?"
"Nothing. How long have i been out?"
Maria quickly changed the topic. No point in getting in messes where she wouldn't want to tred into.
"About ten minutes so far. The doctor said to make sure you get some rest."
"Well, i've rested enough. I need to get back to the bridge."
And before Albel could protest yet again, Maria got out of bed and walked unsteadily out of the sick-bay. Albel hurried on and followed Maria. For someone who just be in bed, she was certainly going pretty fast. With her left arm still immobilized by the numbness, she used her right arm to help her get through the corridor. Having bandages around her arms, hands, head and torso, she looked like she just came out of a hospital, or a horror comic with mummies in it, but not that drastic.
"Where do you think you're going, worm?"
Albel stood in Maria's way, intending not to let her get the better of him.
"To the bridge of course."
"But i have specific instructions to make sure you stay put in bed. And i'm not leaving till you agree."
"So, Albel Nox is taking instructions from a doctor? This would be interesting."
"Wha-what? A doctor's order is just as important as a commanding officer's order, that is what i think, so you are marching straight back to bed, or else."
"Or else what?"
"Or else i'll..."
Albel was tempted to say hit her, but he then changed it to carry her back by force and tie her to the bed. But that would sound a little too far, and if Maria should ever complain, he would not hear the end of it from Nel. So he was outwitted by a woman, once again. And out maneouvered by the looks of things as well. Maria had used the opportunity of Albel thinking, which can take quite some time apparently, and tried to run off again.
Albel caught up with her once again, since he was not injured at all, therefore would be in a better shape at chasing down his prey, or person he is ordered to find and chain to a bed.
"Fine, i won't stop you. But the moment i see that you are not fit to even stand, i will drag you back by force."
Albel decided that that would do.
"Alright, thanks."
Maria smiled warmly, and Albel finally took note of Maria's unbuttoned shirt. It made his face red, but not so much. He was a married man, after all, and what most married men have are lovely wives to look at. Too bad, Albel has one that is just too strict with control at the moment.
"But you might want button your shirt."
Albel coughed.
"This? Oh? Is the great Albel Nox embarrassed to see a lady's chest?"
"You have your undergarment thingy on, so it's not your chest, technically."
Albel countered.
"Well, suit yourself. I prefer it like this since the shirt is slightly constricting."
Maria said as she continued to limp on. After a good two minutes, they reached the bridge and Hyug stood up and saluted almost immediately, followed by the rest of the crew. All seemed to have noticed her shirt but did not comment. Was it all guys thought about? A girl's chest? Maybe. These guys certainly proved it so.
"At ease. Hyug, give me a report."
Maria said, sitting herself down on the command chair.
"We're having them on the run. We are nearing victory."
"Captain! Disturbance in space fabric! Gravitic warp opening! Enemy identified, it's the Vendeeni royal fleet! They're coming up on our six!"
"What! So, they've come with reinforements. All ships, move to counter."
Maria could not believe that victory was so close, yet so far. What a saying.
"Transmission from the 'Hyperion'."
"Patch them through."
Nyiko's face appeared on Maria's screen.
"Maria, would you mind explaining what happened?"
Nyiko's face was serious, but then again, he always looked serious.
"Let's just say it's something no one should ever go through again."
Maria simpled replied. The answer seemed to satisfy Nyiko.
"Agreed. And by the way, your shirt's undone."
"I know that. Why do all men have to stare at my shirt?"
"Because it's distracting. We men are simple creature, living to fulfill our basic needs. That is all."
Nyiko winked and cut his connection. That was not all, that was confusing.
"Another distrubance! Gravitic warp opening! Fleet identified! It's the Vendeeni's royal third fleet!"
"More enemies? Damn them."
Maria cursed, which she rarely does. Or so she thinks. The new threat appeared out of the warp and joined behind the enemy fleet. The Vendeeni appeared to be gearing for battle.
"All ships, prepare to open fire!"
"Wait captain! The enemy... the Vendeeni's royal third fleet. They're... they're... they're attacking their own fleets!"
"Huh?"
Maria pulled up a screen for herself to take a look at. And it was true. The Vendeeni's royal third fleet, easily noticable by their sheer size difference from their normal fleet ships. The Vendeeni ships attacking at one another, which caused great confusion among Maria's crew.
"In-coming transmission form the flagship of the Royal third fleet."
"Patch them through."
Maria ordered, wanting to know what was going on. What she expected to be a foul-mouthed Vendeeni, turned out to be a cheerful looking young human girl.
"M-A-R-I-A!"
"Karin!"
"Bingo! Haha! Bet you didn't expect that?"
"No, not at all! What happened? Why are you on that ship?"
Maria was definately confused.
"Oh, i'll let the man himself explain. He should be arriving anytime soon."
"Captain!"
Hyug called for Maria.
"What is it?"
"A mjor disturbance in the space fabric! It's... a rip-gate! No, it's energies are less aggressive. The wavelengths show a normal Gravitic warp gate transmission, but the sensors are all indicating a rip-gate!"
"What!"
"Speak of the devil."
Karin smirked. A giant portal ripped open on the left of Maria's fleet. The circular portal swirled with dark red energies. The size itself was enormous. It looked like it was the size of a moon. With the gate opened, a giant ship emerged from it. It looked exactly like the 'Eternal Vengence', but with a circular ring around it's body. Another ship bearing the same ring, but looking like the 'Heaven's gate', appeared.
"In-coming transmission from those unknown ships!"
"Patch them through."
Maria knew who it was. Two more screens appeared on Maria's console. A young girl with brown hair, blue eyes and a chirpy smile. Sophia Esteed. And a young boy with blue hair, green eyes and a warm presence that filled Maria with joy. Fayt Leingod.
"Maria."
"...Fayt..."
"Sorry it took so long, met Jino on the way."
"Idiot..."
"What? Did you say something? Maria?"
Fayt tried to take a closer look through his screen.
"IDIOT!"
Maria screamed. That sent Fayt flying back.
"Wha-? What did i do?"
"...nothing... it's just... i'm so glad to see you."
Maria smiled, tears running down her cheeks.
"I miss you too. Hey, is your shirt undone?"
"I had some incidents here."
Maria replied, but she still smiled. Fayt. The boy she loved, the one who was always there for her. Her own brother. He will always be there for her.
"Oh yeah, Jino sends his gift."
Fayt smiled. From the gate, another giant ring appeared.
"For your ship."
Fayt said. Maria nodded in reply and gave the orders. It was tricky business to do this in the middle of battle, but Maria risked it. The ship slowed down near the ring and the auto-lock ons guided the ship into place. With the ring locked in place, new systems were integrated into the ship's mainframe and database. Slight changes would be made around the ship, which made it look like a transformer.
As her console slightly changed, the name 'Justice Reign' on the screen disappeared and a new name appeared.
"Hmm... interesting. Right, from now on this ship is no longer the 'Justice Reign'. From now on, it's name is 'Wisdom'. I hate changing names of ships, it's really irritating."
"Better than mine. Mine's 'Benevolence'."
Sophia sulked.
"What's wrong with that? Mine's the 'Courage'. I really wonder where does he get these names from?"
"I don't want to know."
Maria said.
"Right, all ships, engaged the enemy fleets!"
"All weapons charged and ready to fire."
Maria was about to order the attack, when something else caught her eye. Next to the name of her ship on her console, a knight in golden armour was there. With sword and shield, it had the words 'honour' and 'wisdom' written on the shield. Somehow, this knight looked familiar.
"Hey, Fayt, does yours have a knight on your screen?"
Maria asked.
"No. Mine's a Maiden with wings."
Fayt replied.
"Mine's a pair of children!"
Sophia chirped.
"What's the meaning of this? I have seen this knight before."
"That is the true image of your symbol, Maria."
Ryoko Leingod appeared next to Sophia.
"Mom?"
"Hi, dear. Glad to see your alright, but you looked beatened up! Did something happen? Why is your shirt undone? Did anyone mistreat you?"
"Mom, it's fine, it's nothing. Really. So what about our true forms of our symbols?"
Maria asked, eager to know.
"Alright. These symbols are not just simple technology. Over time, we found that these special symbols we created for you needed young hosts to mature in. Like i said before, they needed time to fully develop. It was like saying it was alive. I programmed each symbol to take a more human form whenever it is fully activated. Take it like your spirit soul. The form in which your symbol takes on is fully dependent on you."
"And mine's a girl!"
Fayt complained.
"Well, proves that you have a feminine side after all!"
Sophia laughed.
"What! Sophia, just you wait till i get my hands on you."
"You won't. Cause you'll never get your hands on me! Right, Maria?"
"Er... right."
Maria had no clue what was going on, at all. Spirit form? Now this was getting way out of hand.
"Captain, what are your orders?"
Hyug asked, interrupting their family time. If anyone would consider it a family time.
"Well, we have them on the run, so let's make sure they don't get away. All ships, persue the enemy. Identify the enemy flagship and capture it. There is something i need to talk about with their leader."
AN: This was rushed one, as will the last two. Don't expect much, alright?